(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to linear slide technology, and more particularly to a method of over-molding for producing a linear slide and a linear slide made by this method of over-molding.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Taiwan Patent M437400 discloses a roller linear slide that uses cylindrical rolling elements for relative motion between the roller linear slide and a mating linear guideway, enabling the roller linear slide to move along the linear guideway. By means of the cylindrical rolling elements, the roller linear slide obtains better load capacity, and thus, the roller linear slide is practical for use in a machinery equipment to bear a heavy load. Further, as illustrated in Taiwan Patents M334223 and M371228, the aforesaid cylindrical rolling elements (rollers) must be installed in the plastic chain belt that is mounted in a load track and a non-load track (back-flow hole) at two opposite lateral sides of the track groove of the linear slide so that the cylindrical rolling elements can be rotated along the load track and non-load track and the circulators at two opposite ends of linear slide, facilitating movement of the linear slide in a state of low friction.
In order for the cylindrical rolling element-attached chain belt (or the cylindrical rolling elements themselves) to move along the load track and the non-load track, the roller linear slide is configured to provide plastic guide structures (or circulators) at the load track and non-load track thereof. The guide structures are of an assembled design, as indicated in Taiwan Patents M334893 and M473454. At first, guide structure components are made by injection molding, and then these guide structure components are mounted on the load track and non-load track of the linear slide metal base. This linear slide fabrication method needs to make plastic guide structure components by injection molding and then to install the fabricated plastic guide structure components in the linear slide metal base, thus complicating inventory control and costing much labor. Further, the cumulative tolerances of the plastic guide structure components greatly affect the quality and precision of the finished product.